1. Field Of The Invention
The invention relates to the packaging of objects arranged in one or more layers. More specifically, the invention has as its object, firstly, a flat blank, especially capable of, once expanded, being part of a package for at least one layer of at least two objects. It also has as its object, secondly, such an expanded blank. It also has as its object, thirdly, such a package for at least one layer of at least two objects comprising, in combination, such an expanded blank and a cap. It also has as its object, fourthly, a bundle comprising such a package and at least one layer of at least two objects. It also has as its object, fifthly, a palletized load of objects or a group of objects arranged in at least one layer, comprising such bundles. It also has as its object, sixthly, a process for the creation of such a bundle. It also has as its object, seventhly, a process for the production of such a palletized load. It also has as its object, eighthly, an installation for the implementation of said process for the production of such a bundle.
2. Description Of The Related Art
Within the context of the invention, in a typical embodiment, “object” conventionally refers to a primary package comprising one or more jars or another container, filled with a dairy product or dessert, arranged in one or more longitudinal and/or transverse rows. Typically, such a jar is made of plastic material and comprises a side wall of a general cylindrical or prismatic or truncated or truncated pyramid shape, a bottom wall and a top wall, in particular a lid or another similar arrangement. In a typical manner, multiple jars are connected to one another, in particular by a connecting collar or another similar arrangement. In some embodiments, the object also comprises a cardboard jacket or another similar arrangement surrounding the jars. It is understood that the case where the object comprises one or more jars as they have been defined is not limiting, with another container able to be provided instead of the jar in question. Within the context of the invention, “object” is defined as an object as was just described or any similar object.
The jars in question most often come not as a unit but in a group of multiple jars, multiple jars being connected to one another by a connecting collar or another similar arrangement as indicated, and/or superposed on multiple layers. In contrast, the groups of jars are designed to be placed on a pallet with resulting vertical compression forces.
According to a known and current embodiment, each group of jars comprises an envelope, and multiple groups of jars are arranged side by side on a transport tray made by expanding a flat blank. This transport tray comprises, firstly, a lower and horizontal rectangular bottom and, secondly, four walls with edges extending above the bottom on its four sides, whose free edges opposite the bottom are shaped in such a way as to present four higher angular parts and whose angles with the bottom are shaped so as to have four angular cut-outs. Each group of jars is arranged on the upper surface of the bottom. When a transport tray is filled with groups of jars, its free upper surface is formed by the free surface of the top walls of the jars unless a cap that forms a cover is provided. When two transport tray filled with groups of jars are superposed, the four higher angular parts of the lower transport tray engage with the four angular cut-outs of the upper transport tray. To ensure the resistance to the vertical compression forces, the transport tray is stiffened in different possible manners: creation of parts shaped in relief, creation of multiple layers made mutually integral.
Such an embodiment has several constraints and restrictions. If it is desired that the jars have a limited thickness, it is necessary to have to reinforce the transport tray with the inherent drawbacks. If the transport trays are necessary for transport, their added value at the point of sale or for the buyer is non-existent. If a cap forming a cover is provided, the amount of material that is used is significant. With such an embodiment, the retail store has to be concerned with eliminating the transport trays as the latter are emptied of jars.
According to the embodiment described by the document FR-A-2911851, a group of jars is removed from an envelope, and multiple groups of jars are arranged side by side on a presentation tray created by expanding a flat blank. This presentation tray comprises, firstly, a lower and horizontal rectangular bottom. The presentation tray comprises, secondly, three edge walls extending above the bottom on three of its sides, whose free edges opposite to the bottom are shaped in such a way as to exhibit two higher angular parts, and whose angles with the bottom are shaped in such a way as to exhibit two angular cut-outs. The presentation tray comprises, thirdly, one or more separation walls extending above the bottom and located apart from its edges, each made by edge-to-edge folding and at 90° from two flat blank regions. The height of the separation walls is smaller than the height of the edge walls. Each group of jars is arranged astride the free edge of a separation wall. According to the document FR-A-2911851, the compression force exerted on the jars as a result of the stacking on a pallet is decreased, and it is thus possible to reduce the thickness of the wall of the jars between approximately 0.7 mm and 0.8 mm. When a presentation tray is filled with groups of jars, its free upper surface is formed by the free surface of the top walls of the jars. When two presentation trays filled with groups of jars are superposed, as in a pallet, the lower surface of the bottom of the upper tray rests on the free surface of the top walls of the jars, and the two higher angular parts of the lower tray engage with the two angular cut-outs of the upper tray. The tray constitutes a presentation tray of the jars on the selling site, with the buying client picking up a group of jars by extracting it from the tray and more especially from the separation wall on which it is arranged astride.
Such an embodiment has several constraints and restrictions. This embodiment rules out placing the groups of jars in envelopes, the latter preventing each group of jars from being arranged astride the free edge of a separation wall. However, such envelopes most often prove very useful for informational purposes, for example. Next, if it makes it possible to reduce the compression force exerted on the jars, this embodiment does not eliminate it by any means, with an upper tray filled with jars resting on the free surface of the top walls of the jars filling the lower tray. Consequently, the thickness of the jars cannot be excessively limited, unless the jars are crushed or the risk of crushing of the jars is greatly increased. With this embodiment, it is necessary that the jars have a flat top wall, which rules out other fancy shapes. With this embodiment, the groups of jars are limited to a small number of jars, four as shown in the document, which rules out, for example, jars grouped in multiple layers. With this embodiment, the relative maintenance of two superposed trays can pose a problem, with the number of upper higher angular parts and lower angular cut-outs necessarily being limited to two. With such an embodiment, the retail store has to be concerned with eliminating the presentation trays as the latter are emptied of jars.
According to the embodiment that is described by the documents WO 96/17791, US 2004/0129594, WO 2006/091533, the jars of a group of jars are attached by their bottom walls to a thin container that is created by expanding a flat blank. This container comprises, firstly, a lower and horizontal rectangular bottom and, secondly, four edge walls slightly extending above the bottom on its four sides.
Each group of jars is arranged on the upper surface of the bottom. Several containers that are thus filled with jars are arranged side by side. A cut-out is placed on the free upper surface formed by the top walls of the jars of the groups placed on the bottom of these containers. A film made of thermoretractable plastic material closes the unit. When two such units are superposed, as in a pallet, the lower outside surface of the film of the upper unit rests on the upper outside surface of the film of the lower unit.
Such an embodiment has several constraints and restrictions. The jars directly absorb the compression forces, which rules out having jars of a limited thickness. The container, the cut-out and the film have an added value at the point of sale or for the buyer, which is non-existent. The relative holding of several containers side by side is very limited. The superposed units can be moved in a relative manner in relation to one another. The amount of material that is used is significant. The retail store has to be concerned with opening the units and eliminating the containers, the cut-outs, and the film during use.
The document U.S. Pat. No. 2,046,485 describes a package formed from a flat blank comprising a bottom part with an inside separation for forming two compartments and a cover part connected to the bottom part by a fold line. Both the bottom part and the cover part have horizontal and rectangular main panels, respectively a lower bottom panel and an upper cover panel, and four edge walls that extend slightly above this panel.
The document U.S. Pat. No. 5,265,796 describes a package for a food product in the form of a blank that is expanded from a flat blank and comprising two panels for receiving objects arranged side by side on a first surface, four outside edge panels on the four sides, and two inside spacer panels, placed one against the other by their second surfaces and arranged in the median perpendicular to the two receiving panels and parallel to a pair of edge panels. A cap is arranged head to foot and secured to the expanded blank, above.
These last two embodiments proceed from a container-type design with a cover with four edge panels. These embodiments are unsuitable for the case of jars as contemplated by the invention. The packages have an added value at the point of sale or for the buyer, which is non-existent. The superposed packages can move in a relative manner in relation to one another. The amount of material that is used is significant. The retail store has to be concerned with opening the units and eliminating the packages.
The document WO 97/30908 relates to a grouping element that is intended to group at least two packages, each containing at least one block of jars connected by a collar or individual jars, said packages being arranged side by side in a single row in such a way that their respective open surfaces are turned to the same side, characterized in that it comprises a bottom wall made of cardboard on which the packages rest and two side flaps made of cardboard, each equipped at its ends with at least two tenons that can be folded at 90° relative to the side flaps and can be interlocked respectively in the two passages that are defined between the jars that are located in the two packages farthest from said row of packages, in such a way as to be wedged under the collars of said jars or under the wall of said packages.
The object of the document EP 1 657 164 is a bundle that has a body part and side parts attached to the body part. The body part is manufactured from a blank having fold lines, and the side parts delimit three sections.
The object of the document WO 97/28051 is a cardboard box with several levels for groups of items, formed from upper and lower preforms of a foldable sheet material in which the blank comprises foldable feet for improving the stacking. The cardboard also comprises additional vertical positioning feet for positioning openings.
The document BE 693149 describes a package consisting of a foldable cardboard sheet, and an envelope sheet of paper, plastic, or the like, with the whole being arranged in two parallel rows.
The document FR 2888 821 describes a package made of a semi-rigid material, such as cardboard or corrugated cardboard, comprising a body containing a lot of objects, in particular objects with an axis of symmetry, designed to be shipped and displayed for sale in this body, the package body comprising a rectangular bottom, on which the objects rest, and at least two side walls, articulated by a scoring along two parallel sides of the bottom and raised perpendicular to this bottom, at least one of the other two sides of the bottom lacking a wall, this package being characterized in that along the side or sides lacking a side wall, at least one flexible link including the two ends are attached respectively to the two contiguous parallel walls of the package, and which is essentially parallel to the bottom of the package, encircles the packaged objects by exerting on them a traction toward the inside of the package in such a way as to keep these objects in position during shipping, where this link can be broken when these objects are displayed for sale so that the potential buyers can have easy access to these objects.